Trace Grant: Volume One
by Totally Unoriginal Pen Name
Summary: Trace Grant, criminal, thief, scandal, he's been called it all. But not many people know that he and his Caterpie, "Pree" are on the run from an unknown evil organization who used him for an experiment. During one of his travels in Unova, he meets newbie trainer Miranda who isn't as dumb as the rest. Now teamed up, they're running from the league and beating the unknown evil.
1. Prologue

**VOLUME ONE_**

**PROLOGUE_**

* * *

The scientist hunched over his computer, typing in a vigorous and furious manner. He rubbed his eyes, aware that he was the only one awake. The experiment had gone better than he, or anyone else at the institute, had thought. Eighteen different teenagers- teenagers were the only ones who could stand the serum without dying or going into a coma- now laid before him, each of them sound asleep in their own beds.

Originally, the scientist thought it was wrong to kidnap them. They were at the pinnacle of their youth, and many of them were about to start their Pokemon journey- why deprive them of that? Sadly, the teens who laid unconscious before him were the best candidates, and there was no other option. Asking for permission would compromise the experiment.

The scientist turned back, and continued typing at his computer. Each teen represented a distinct Pokemon type, and most were given an Ability from it. One of the teens, for example, had Absol's ability of Super Luck, but it was modified more in them to effect their own Pokemon team. _If they would ever go on a journey,_ he thought, chuckling.

A crash reverberated from behind him, and he turned around in surprise. Each teen still slept soundly, occasionally a cough or a sneeze would echo from them. The scientist nearly laughed at his own foolishness. They were out cold. There was no way one of them could wake up- right?

He looked closely at the beds. One of them, on the far end, was different than moments before. It was one of the teens who hadn't developed his ability yet, but had the mental link down perfectly. Experiment 002-he had been here for a couple of months already, longer than the others. The scientist shrugged. Although the Boss said that he shouldn't have an active imagination that he has, he believes that science needs imagination and logic- both contradicting in one mind. Passing it off as no more of a wild daydream, he sat at his computer and began typing.

The alarms soon blared. The scientist returned to Experiment 002's bed, and threw off the covers. What laid under was but a cast, an impression, of the teenager. Frantic, he grabbed his phone and called security. "One of the experiments have escaped!" He yelled into the phone.

"What?"

"One of the experiments have escaped!" The scientist repeated, his voice raised many octaves. "Experiment 002 has escaped from the room!"

The voice responded with a, "yes sir" before proceeding to hang up. The scientist sat in wonder, curious of what was happening to his precious experiment. They were nothing more than science. If it was successful, he and Boss could change the world.

* * *

The boy had managed to escape the facility, but still had no idea where he was. Dressed up in a security personnel's uniform, he pulled out the Pokeball he swiped from the building, and threw it into the air.

A Caterpie formed. It glanced up at the boy, and nearly screamed.

"Shh!" The boy hissed, picking up the bug-type. "I rescued you, okay?" It nodded in reply, not admiring the feeling of the boy's gloved hand covering its mouth. He smiled. "You're gonna be my partner, okay?"

Partner? For what? The Caterpie wondered, but nodded again anyway. Anything to get away from the horrible place with sharp needles and weird drinks. _Anything._

"We're gonna take down the Facility." He began, but heard voices in the distance. Glancing around and finding the light of a flashlight and hearing a Poochyena howl, the boy gathered the stuff he stole and bolted, not caring about the sound he made, just caring about getting away.

And this is where the story begins.


	2. Chapter One

**VOLUME ONE_**

**CHAPTER ONE_**

* * *

"Hey! I challenge you to a battle!"

Although it would have been easier to make a scam or pickpocket in the next city, Trace accepted the challenge from the innocent passerby. He sent out a patrat, which would be easy to beat. The trainer was younger and might be less skilled than him, but he accepted it nonetheless.

"Now, Pree!" He threw his own Pokeball into the air, watching as his trustworthy Caterpie came out, who was determined to fight. Trace motioned for the trainer he was facing to go first.

"Patrat, bite!" The trainer commanded, and his partner charged, mouth open for a bite of Caterpie.

"Pree, dodge!" Pree jumped into the air and spun before releasing its signature move- string shot. Partat watched in shock as sticky webbing coated its feet, immobilizing it. "Tackle!" Pree dove, hitting the Patrat head-on. The trainer watched in awe as their Pokemon fainted after only a couple of terns.

Sheepishly returning it, the trainer said, "I guess I have to train a bit more before I challenge the gym, huh?"

Trace nodded with a smile. "Try training it to be a little faster, and then you should try." He said, and Pree crawled back up his arm, not bothering to return to it's Pokeball. Trace started to walk away, waving goodbye to the trainer.

_That was easy, _he thought, and Pree nodded.

Ever since he-escaped, would be a good word- Trace learned about unique abilities he had been given. Cursed, more or less, by the astonishing power of science. He didn't remember much about his life then, and preferred it that way. He had used them for mostly good, but he needed money to survive, after all.

The route he was on was astonishingly quiet for a forest. The Pokemon seemed to rest as the early dawn rays trekked over the horizon. Yet there was no dearth of wild pokemon during the night- more Purrloion appeared at night than in the day, and Patrat was the opposite. He and Pree have been training for a couple of days here, waiting for when the time is right to flee to another city.

It was wrong to think of them fleeing every city, but the police often got on their case. "You look like a criminal we're looking for" they'd claim. In all technicality, Trace _was _the criminal they were looking for, but they never made the blatant comparisons from a photo of him a year ago to the actual version of him today. His light brown hair had gotten a little longer and his eyes started to look more like a fire than the deep brown he was born with, but he was still the same in every way- even the outfit was the same. An orange t-shirt, jeans, and black converse sneakers.

"I know, some people can be so oblivious." He said to Pree, who cooed in agreement.

A Patrat leapt out of the bush and noticed the human and his Pokemon companion. Uttering a few words in its native tongue, Pree jumped down from Trace's shoulder. "Battle?"

Pree nodded.

"Alright, then, you know what to do. Tackle!"

The Patrat managed to jump out of the way of the charge, and used bite on Pree. Pree exclaimed in shock as the teeth bit into its skin, and it quickly shot out string to escape. Patrat's mouth became glued shut, and it started to freak out.

Trace sighed, leaning down and scraping away at the string around it's mouth. Once freed, the Patrat thanked both of them.

"Wanna keep battling, Patrat?"

The wild pokemon shook its head before waving goodbye and heading back into the woods, probably thinking of how bad a choice it was. Pree stifled a laugh and crawled back onto Trace's shoulder, before turning its head and squeaking furiously. Trace turned. There was a girl, his age, with dark skin and dark hair, staring intently at the duo with deep brown eyes. A skitty stood by her side, with the same face on, watching the conundrum before her. She wore a simple blue sundress and a pink hat, and it nearly fell off when a sharp gust of wind blew by.

"Uh, hi."

"You're weird." Was her response.

Trace scoffed. "Well, so are you." He crossed his arms. "What are you looking at?"

"You were talking to those Pokemon. Can you understand them?" The girl inquired. "If you can, that would be so cool!"

"I can't." Well, sort of. But that wasn't something he wanted to brag about- an experiment? And who would believe Trace, anyway? "I can just tell acute differences in their facial expressions."

"Oh." The girl replied, before holding out her hand. "I'm Miranda."

Trace nodded, accepting the hand. "Trace. So, what do you want?"

She shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe a battle, maybe not." She winked.

Trace rolled his eyes. "If it's a battle you want, it's a battle you get. Ready, Pree?"

Pree nodded, and the Skitty by Miranda's side shivered from battle nerves. Was it her first battle? Trace wondered, watching as she gave an encouraging wink to her own Pokemon.

"Ladies first," Trace began.

"Alright, go ahead."

_Oldest one in the book. _Trace cleared his throat before commanding, "Alright. Pree, use string shot!"

"Skitty, use tackle!"

The string shot narrowly missed Skitty and Pree was tackled to the ground. Skitty swiftly returned to Miranda's side, awaiting more orders. It didn't seem as nervous as it was before the battle. Pree stood back up again, its normally calm disposition replaced with a irascible one. Pree charged again, tackling Skitty, and narrowly missed the tackle back. It went on like this for a little while; both sides tackling each other repeatedly.

"Pree, string shot again!"

This time, the string shot worked, successfully tying Skitty's small paws together. Skitty cried out in shock, attempting to free itself from the binding, and one more tackle would render it useless.

"Stop!" Miranda said. Pree paused, and Trace crossed his arms.

"Do you give up?"

She nodded. Pree returned to his side as she skillfully unwrapped her Pokemon's legs. Skitty cheered, although weak, and was welcoming to return to its Pokeball. Miranda glanced back at Pree, who had been fighting all day. Although it was strong, it needed rest, also. "You should stop by the Pokemon Center- your Caterpie looks tired."

Pree nodded, curling up in Trace's arms. Trace bit his lip, wondering if he should stay again in Asperita. The police could snag him anytime. He would be scolded for something, and maybe even found out. Then more running. _One night won't hurt..._His thoughts trailed off before he nodded. One more night, then the next city- Virbank City.

Miranda walked with him the entire way, and they had a small chat about battles. She wanted to collect all the gym badges, just like her mom did back in Sinnoh, but she also wanted to find her own path. Battling was a side hobby, and although many trainers dedicate themselves to get to the Elite Four, she didn't feel it. Something else was waiting for her out there, and she wanted to find out what.

Trace didn't talk much about his own history, to the annoyance of Miranda. She kept prodding him throughout the night as they waited for their Pokemon to heal- apparently, Miranda had a second one, a Purrloin, which had fainted- and it was getting annoying for both of them.

"I don't like to talk about it."

"Why not?"

"I just don't." It took all of his own mental control to remain austere and peaceful on the subject. His pitch seemed to turn cold for a couple of seconds, and Miranda finally got the clue.

She changed the subject swiftly. "I'm challenging the gym in the city tomorrow. Wanna watch me beat Cheren?" Miranda made a fist and slapped it with her other hand, very determined. Trace shrugged.

"Why not?" He said. Why was he able to casually talk to someone like this without freaking them out? Often the people got a cold, dark aura surrounding him and left him alone, but Miranda was either too naive to notice, to dumb to comprehend it, or didn't care out of the niceness of her heart. Trace hoped it was the last one.


	3. Chapter Two

**VOLUME ONE_**

**CHAPTER TWO_**

* * *

"Do you have any information on Experiment 002? You _know _we can't continue without him."

"Sir, we have been searching Kanto, Johto and Hoenn for the past few months." The man replied, looking into the scientist's cold, hard eyes. "Can't you just find another person to fill his place?" The man glanced upon the sixteen teenagers, frozen in animation, kept young for two years. Out cold. Unaware of the changing environment around them.

"The Boss says we need him back to continue the experiment- and nobody else is more qualified for the job than that boy." The scientist said, crossing his arms. The lab coat that had stretched around him since the first escape was tattered to pieces due to moving the secret headquarters for so long, but it was the only one he had left until his next paycheck.

The man nodded. "What is this project for, anyway?"

The scientist let out a low chuckle. Everyone always asked about what it was about the moment they could. He wasn't allowed to relay the details- Boss' orders. Instead, he turned back in his chair and grinned.

"It's going to change the world. That's all I can say."

* * *

Trace never thought that he would be travelling along with someone, and it never crossed his mind that it would be a girl. He had nothing against girls; there was a punk girl in Hoenn who beat him pretty bad. One of the gyms he challenged- which he never is going to do again, it gets his name out- was led by a girl. He got his butt kicked.

But Miranda? She was a rookie, a newbie, whatever you want to call it. Simply put, she seemed as if she was not fit for the gym challenge. Her Skitty was just as talented as she was. It was strong, and could probably beat the gym leader, but Trace had his doubts.

Miranda glanced back to Trace, who was behind her. "C'mon, you Slowpoke! We're never gonna get to Floccesy Ranch if you stop wandering!"

Trace envied how innocent the world seemed to be for Miranda, and for the people. Pokémon and trainers around him. They didn't understand what sorts of evil were in this world. Some people were too colorblind to see it, and they only saw it through black and white.

But he didn't want to ruin Miranda's innocence. She deserved to keep it, as fate said- he was meant to be like this. It's what his mother always said.

His mother...He hasn't seen them in years. How would they react to him showing up, back in Floramora Town in Sinnoh, like this? He had become a freak by the hands of _them_. If he had stayed even longer, Trace would be less human, and more Pokémon. The serum hadn't got to him much before his escape, and there was no doubt if he was caught, that it would turn him away from his humanity.

In all the years Trace has been running, he's always wondered the same thing. Why did _they _want them? The eighteen teenagers he met in the back of a dark van, tied up against their own will. Nine boys and nine girls, respectively representing each Pokémon type, even the new one, Fairy. What were they planning? He'd always tried to find out more, but digging like that almost got him caught too many times.

As if there wasn't a big enough bounty on his head. He's wanted in half the world for theft, scam, and even an assault charge. The world seemed to be turning against him sometimes, and Trace didn't appreciate that.

"Mr. Cheren said it would be good training to head to Floccesy Ranch before my gym-battling debut!" Miranda cheered. "Skitty and I'll beat him for sure!"

"I wish you the best of luck in that." Trace replied.

Miranda paused, glaring at him. "Was that sarcasm?"

"No."

More glaring, until she shrugged it off and her cheerful disposition returned. Miranda bounded ahead of him into the ranch, which hadn't been as far as he had thought. Pree came out of its Pokéball in excitement- it would be perfect training for both of them. They followed her into the ranch.

A ranch hand grinned at the trainers as they came in. "Ah, more rookies, eh?"

Miranda nodded. "You wouldn't mind..."

The ranch hand shook his head. "No, not at all, miss. We opened this here ranch for not just Pokémon, but for trainers, too. Knock yourself out."

Trace caught up, and watched her run off into the distance. He got the last words the hand said, and dryly said to himself, "She probably will, knowing her."

Many Pokémon crowded the ranch- he even spotted a Riolu, one that's pretty rare in other places of the world. A Pidove flew over his head, not in any way maleficent towards the Caterpie below. Pree managed to knock out a few of the wild Pokémon. Trace was tempted to catch one, but held back. He only had three, shoplifted fastballs, and knew very well to use them wisely.

Miranda trained her Skitty hard, but ran at the sight of a Riolu. She knew her type advantages well- and although Trace thought she should catch one for an advantage at the gym, it slipped his mind to tell her. Miranda was actually, a very talented trainer- and caring. He noted the way she gave each fainted Pokémon an Oran berry, to help it heal.

After a couple of hours training, both of them decided to head back, in order to make it to her gym battle.

* * *

"The one-on-one battle between the gym leader Cheren and challenger Miranda of Asperita City will soon commence. Only the challenger may substitute Pokémon...Although you don't have another one..." The referee wasn't the best at his job. The ref cleared his throat before continuing. "...Let the battle begin!"

Cheren was a man in his early twenties, with dark hair to his shoulders. He dressed as a teacher should- a buttoned-up shirt and tie, along with dark pants and plain, black shoes. From what Miranda told him, Cheren was her teacher at the school here. It was a ritual for all graduating students to defeat their teacher, the gym leader.

Trace sat in the stands, which reminded him of what parents would sit in to watch a baseball game. It was mid-afternoon, and after a quick trip to the Pokémon center, they healed up and headed here first.

"Skitty, you're up!"

"Herdier, go!"

A Herdier was a dog-like Pokémon, with its back covered in what seemed to be a deep blue cloak, and the rest of it's body a tawny brown. It had lighter fur on it's face that spiked up, and it barked at the foe across the field.

"Skitty, sing!"

"Herdier, look out!" Herdier managed to avoid the sweet, melodious tune from Skitty. "Tackle!" It charged, hitting the kitten Pokémon in its side.

Skitty stood up again, ready to attack. "Try fake out!" A simple slap of the tail, and Herdier cringed, frozen. Miranda grinned. "Now, use sing!"

"Herdier!"

The notes managed to get to the dog this time, and lulled it into a deep sleep. "Double slap!" Skitty hit Herdier so many times it would make your head spin. Trace attempted to count, but he got lost in all the action.

Herdier jolted from its sleep suddenly, and retaliated with a bite. Skitty cried out in pain as it was flung across the battlefield. It got back up, a little more energy than the Pokémon before it, and prepared for the next move.

"Tackle!"

"You, too, Herdier! Tackle!"

Both of them charged, and hit directly head-on. Trace winced from the impact, and even though their minds weren't connected like he and Pree's, could hear both of them grunt in pain. The hit somehow created a cloud of dust, leaving a dramatic moment between the Gym leader and challenger. The dust slowly cleared, allowing the two fighting to be seen again, both tired and beat and weak. Trace understood battles, it was a part of the world's nature- but the pain from the battle seemed to seep off them and fill the entire room...Even though they were technically outside.

Cheren clenched his fists, and Miranda murmured encouraging words and praises to Skitty.

Eventually, one had to fall.

Herdier toppled to the ground.

"Herdier is unable to battle- Skitty is the winner!"

Miranda's face seemed so full of joy and happiness. She had done it, and although it was a petty accomplishment to what laid ahead for her, she knew she was on the right track. The girl turned, pushing messy black hair out of her face, and found Trace starting to leave. After bidding farewell to her former teacher, Miranda quickly caught up.

"Hey, Trace, where ya going?" She asked happily, returning Skitty to its Pokéball. "Because, I was thinking, maybe we should stick together for a while. What do you like to do, huh?"

Trace glanced back at the happy teen. It was a rather bad idea to stick with someone, but he would also be able to start moving along faster. Get in and out of towns sooner, faster than he would if he was alone. Something always kept him rooted in place, and maybe it was a sense of loneliness.

Whatever. It didn't matter. "I'll stay," he said reluctantly. "Under one condition."

Miranda cocked her head.

"We get separate rooms. Your snore is louder than a Mamoswine's."


	4. Chapter Three

**VOLUME ONE_**

**CHAPTER THREE_**

* * *

_Running. He hated running, especially the mile run you were to do back in grade school. But that's where he was no, running. In the woods, which was worse- the foliage fell in front of his face constantly and roots sprung from the ground, trying to trip him, trying to force him back to the place he woke up in._

_He woke up and found himself nearly butt-naked, strapped to a cold table with a mysterious, purple fluid hooked up to him. He managed to get it out of him, but the man who was typing on the computer turned- didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, even his twitching foot._

_He got up and got out as fast as he could. Mysterious people lined the hallways, but he managed to sneak past them and into a closet- with proper clothes. He found Pokéballs on a small rack in the closet, and in a rush, grabbed one._

_Nobody was suspisious of him- and thank Arceus for that. Nobody noticed the slight jittery movement he held, how every few seconds he twitched with a new energy. Whatever that purple stuff was, it changed him. It terrified him. He didn't want to go back._

_And there he was, with a squealing Caterpie, running for his life. It wasn't fair, but was anything ever fair? He jumped over a log, nearly falling on his face. But something was different. He just wanted to hide, and to be lost from their sight. And it happened._

_The Mightyena lost his trail; the Growlithe couldn't pick up any more smells. They walked right past him, also, which he found unusual, until he tried to look at a reflection. He was seemingly invisible._

_It was an _illusion. _He made an illusion._

_What had the scientists done to him?_

_The memory shifted, into a more terrifying one. He was strapped to a table again, but this time, forcibly. Scientists entered the dark room, lit only by the light of a lamp, shining directly into his face. The scientists held scalpels and clipboards. They were poking him and prodding him. They were disscussing in low voices on what to do._

_"He's too rebellious. He ran away. What should we do to him?"_

_Another man, the man who was typing, entered the room. "The Boss no longer needs him. Get rid of him."_

_"How?"_

_"Any way possible. Knock yourselves out."_

_Hands soon slowly inched across his body, and he screamed..._

* * *

Trace shot up, panting like he had done a marathon. It was night, deep, dark night, like from his first dream, but there was no moon. No woods. No reflection. Just a tousled bed, and a plain wall. There was occasional muffled sound from the rooms next to him, and that was it.

He was shaking, jumpy, just like in his dream. Nerves, but for what? His mind was still blurry, about what they had put in the purple stuff. Serum, the man called it. The Serum. The feelings where he felt so hollow and alone were the worst; and he was feeling that exact way just now. He wanted to go home, no matter the wanderlust that surfed over him. He wanted to see his parents again. He missed them so much.

A knock was heard on the door, and he looked up.

"Trace? Are you in there?"

Miranda. It nearly made his heart skip a beat, to think that she was someone else. He shuffled to the door and cracked it open. "Yeah?"

"I heard you scream." She attempted to push her way into the room, but Trace held the door. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, although the terror from his dream was still blatant on his face. "Just a...Just a bad dream. I'm fine. Alive. That's all that matters, right?" A nervous laugh was added to the end for effect, to convince her that everything was okay.

Miranda got the clues- he didn't want to talk about it. She shyly nodded, leaving to go to her room next door, where her Skitty was resting for the battle tomorrow. The battle with Roxie, of the Virbank City gym.

* * *

**_The one-on-one battle between Roxie and Skitty will now begin!_**

"Koffing, take the stage!" Roxie was a rather punk girl, Trace noted. Her white hair was pulled up and she dressed like a rock star. He didn't mind, in all honesty, but the noise (that she considered music) around him was making his head thump.

"Skitty, I choose you!" Miranda called, throwing her own Pokéball into the air and letting the kitten pokémon land to the ground, staring at the posion-type with determination.

"Smog attack!" A purple clod wafted from Koffing's mouth, and it covered the normal-type in a noxious gas.

"Use your tail to get rid of it!" Skitty started to wag its tail vigorously, much like a fan, and blew the cloud away. "Now, sing!"

"Koffing!" Roxie cried. "Wake up!"

"Double slap!" The sleep soon wore off, and the Koffing tackled Skitty into the wall. Skitty, however, wasn't about to back down. "Try again!"

Skitty attacked Koffing again, lapping it back and forth, before returning to its trainer. Koffing retaliated with more smog, which made Skitty suddenly cringe out of pain.

_Poisoned, _Trace added, not willing to yell out in the middle of a gym battle. He wished he could relay the information to Miranda, but she seemed troubled herself. Plus, it was rude. Only newbies and ten-year-olds would do that. Chatter in the stands? out advice to the challenger? No.

"Assurance!"

"Skitty, look out!"

The battle ended as Kofing slapped the normal-type (with what? Not even Trace knew) with purple energy, causing Skitty to collapse.

**_THE WINNER IS GYM LEADER ROXIE._**

* * *

Trace ran from the stands to go help Miranda, who seemed to troubled by her loss, gently returning Skitty to its Pokéball. "You can challenge her tomorrow, Miranda. Just try again."

She nodded, although tears were forming in the corners of her eyes. "Why do you make it look so easy, Trace?"

He took a step back; what did Miranda mean by that? "What?"

"Why do you make battling look so easy? I saw you take down the Growlithe with your Caterpie earlier. How do you do it?" He heard a tinge of anger, and felt sorry. He should be able to tell her everything; the mental link, the experiment, everything, but it remained bottled up inside of him. He couldn't poke the wound- it wasn't fresh, but it would still hurt a lot.

They began walking back to the Pokémon center, when Trace suddenly felt hard hands on his back. He turned, recognizing the familiar outfit of Officer Jenny, one of the many in the region.

"You're under arrest, Trace Grant, for multiple crimes, including theft, robbery, and assault." She said."You're coming with me, kid."

His face fell, and he didn't even see Miranda's reaction as he was dragged away.

It was actually happening.

He was caught.

What was he going to do? They would find out. They would come back for him. He would be trapped forever.

Trace Grant could come to an end. Would the world cheer in excitement, or wallow in pity?

Trace didn't know; all he knew was that he was scared.


	5. Chapter Four

**VOLUME ONE_**

**CHAPTER FOUR_**

* * *

"Do you know why you're here?" Officer Jenny interrogated. Trace sat numb and mute at the other side of the table. "You're wanted, in _multiple regions, _for theft, robberies, identity theft, assault...What are you doing?"

"Technically, officer, theft and robbery is the same." Trace interjected. "But continue."

"You'e only sixteen, and you probably have family somewhere. What would they think of this behavior?"

_They don't even think I'm alive, probably. _He shrugged.

"We're going to find them," _No. _"and you're going to be punished severely, mister!"

Could he explain why he was doing all of it without sounding insane, though? Insanity would also be a good backup, in case. In an asylum, he would be hidden. Nobody would look for him there. But it was too much of a daydream. They will find him, eventually, no matter what. The scientists' haunting voices from his dreams returned, and he pushed them away.

Officer Jenny left the room, and he sighed, letting his facade down. The cuffs that were once around his wrists faded, and the ones tying him to the chair were gone, also. Keeping up illusions like that was easy; full-body illusions were the trickiest, but he was slowly managing. Glancing around, he took in everything in the room- the glass of water, offered to him, the smooth, stainless steel table and chair he was "tied" to, the door which was locked.

Now, an escape plan. He was about to figure out the window that let in the sunlight when rattling at the door alerted him to someone coming. He returned to his seat swiftly, the cuffs returning.

A normal officer appeared, along with a familiar, dark-skinned girl. "Miranda?"

She took the seat that was offered by the officer, sitting right across from Trace. Now, it was time to tell the truth. Well, part of it, at least.

"I'm sorry." He began.

"Did you mean to lie to me like that?" Miranda asked. "Or was I just someone you wanted to get a ride with? Steal my identity- somehow, seeing as I'm a black/asian girl."

"I...I didn't mean to lie like that, Miranda. And I'm terribly sorry."

Silence. He expected Miranda to walk out, like other people would, but she didn't. She stayed, staring calmly into his eyes. "I...I forgive you."

It was the first time he'd ever heard that from someone he wasn't directly related to. It felt forgien to him; people were never sorry to him. They never forgave him for what he did. He never got a second chance, which is what he was trying to get. But they kept coming. "You...you do?"

Miranda nodded, before leaning in close, her voice a hushed whisper. "I'm going to help you get out, okay? I got tickets to the Kalos region. Then you'll explain everything to me."

"When?"

"Later. I'll be outside the building at ten. I know you can get out yourself. Remember that, okay?" The officer came in, curious to why their faces were so close. Either, they were planning something, or...Miranda placed her lips on Trace's quickly.

He had also never been kissed before. He wasn't a prostitute, using sex for money. Or a womanizer. No, he just wanted to get by. t was a sharp and sudden kiss, and he would never forget it. The officer took Miranda away.

* * *

**9:45**

The clock blinked silently throughout the night. Trace laid in the bed they had given him; it was a terribly set up cot, but the "handcuffs" around his wrists prevented him from fixing it.

Dramatic, right?

He was bored. When should he escape? He would have done it hours ago. His plan was simple and secure; anybody could fall for it. He needed bait. Victim was the proper word, but it felt too sinister to his thoughts.

Pree was hidden away. He'd need to locate it. Sitting up, he yelled, "I need a glass of water!"

Would it work? _Hopefully. _Did it work? _Nope._

"He_lloo, _I need a glass of water!" Trace tried to make his voice sound parched, pretending his throat was dry.

No response. A couple of seconds later, an officer opened the door, holding a glass of water. He appeared to be different and not used to notorious criminals in Virbank City. Trace grinned. It was time. After a jab to the back of the neck, the officer was pushed under the covers. Trace's body shimmered, until it looked just like the aforementioned officer. He set the broken glass of water on the table, leaving the room and locking up.

His illusion fooled everybody. Trace liked being on top of them, hidden among the obvious, but he wouldn't be able to hold it for much longer. He wandered the rooms, until he found what seemed to be an evidence locker, full of weapons and Pokéballs.

_Pree! _He mentally called out, waiting a response.

Chirping, to his right. Trace found the capsule his friend was in, before noticing what it was next to. His stuff. The bracelet that he had worn on his escape out- it was always around his belt loop, a significant reminder of what happened. He slipped it on before putting Pree's pokeball into his pocket. Another Pokéball stood out, and sad eyes of a mysterious pokemon watched him. Without a second glance, Trace swiped that one, too, before deciding it was enough.

His mind was getting blurry, and his chest was heavy. He would collapse under his illusion, and being caught here wouldn't help. He made his way back out, hoping it wasn't faltering in any way. He glanced at the time.

**9:58.**

He needed to get out. As fast as he could without drawing any suspicion, just like any other illusion, he quietly left the building. Miranda was waiting for him, out front, just as she promised.

"Miranda!" He cried, ecstatic to see his only friend.

Miranda glanced over, confused.

"It's me." He lowered his voice, grabbing her by the wrist. He dragged her to an alley, and finally let the illusion go. His police officer form shifted to his regular outfit.

"What the...?"

"I have a lot to explain, but first, the plane to Kalos?"


	6. Chapter Five

**VOLUME ONE_**

**CHAPTER FIVE_**

* * *

The seats on the plane to Kalos were soft as a cloud, especially for third class. Miranda sat next to him, eagerly awaiting his story. Before he could begin, however, Trace was curious about something. "How did you get these tickets so fast?"

"My father was a part of Team Plasma," Miranda explained. "So that's kinda why I wasn't freaked out by you being a criminal. I've seen worse." She shrugged. "He always had them as a back-up plan. A simple call and he can get me to any region I want."

_Oh. _Trace thought, before clearing his head. "You want to know my story?"

She nodded ecstatically. Trace sighed- this was the first time he ever told anyone. He never wanted anyone to get hurt because of it, but now, here he was, sitting with a girl, daughter of a Team Plasma member, listening to his story. "I was born in Floramora Town, Sinnoh, under a different name. I lived there for years, and never thought that it would happen to me. One night, after my fourteenth birthday, I was kidnapped by men in dark suits. They had masks over their faces, so I couldn't tell who they were. I was stuck in a van with seventeen other people, around my age. The youngest was thirteen, I think.

Anyway, we were taken away. I couldn't tell where because they drugged us as soon as we got close. When I woke up, they had injected us with a purple "serum", as they called it, and did a couple of tests on us. We were only known as experiments. A couple of nights later, when the drugs should have knocked me out, I laid there, aware of everything around me. I took the IV in my arm out, that was sending the purple serum through my blood and hid in a closet. I found a uniform of the grunts and put it on, along with a bracelet, and Pree's pokeball, and I ran."

"Eventually, I got away, due to the illusion ability I now have. I've been running for about two years, and trying to find out who the heck they were, and what they wanted with us." Trace finished, watching Miranda's eyes widen.

"Oh, gosh, I never expected that." She commented. "I expected you to be of an abusive challenge, but you were used as an experiment? I'm so sorry."

"I don't need pity. It's in the past." He shifted in the seat. "How long is this flight?"

"Three hours or so."

Trace moaned. This was going to be a long flight.

* * *

"Welcome to the Kalos region, Trace! Lumiose City is grand, isn't it?"

"Sure." He deadpanned. Although, Lumiose was "grand", as she put it- the buildings were fancy but tall, and a giant tower sat in the middle of the city. "What's that?" He asked, pointing to said tower.

"That's Prism Tower, and the Gym of the city." Miranda explained. "Cool, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess. It looks pretty big." He didn't have an luggage to grab, but he had to wait with Miranda to get hers. "So, where are we going to go?"

"Dad has a backup apartment in the city. I've got the keys. We can stay there for a whiiiii-" The _i _seemed to drone on for a while as Miranda stared at a duo leaving the baggage. "There are the Champions of Kalos, Videa and Violet!"

"I thought only one person could be champion?"

"Dunno. Guess Kalos is different." Miranda said. "They're pretty famous, too. Young prodigies who take the world by storm. In fact, both of them favor flying-types."

Violet was smaller than Videa, wearing a short purple dress and boots, her deep purple hair tied in a braid with a lavender bow on the end. Videa, however, was different, in a purple-and-black jumpsuit and her long, dark purple hair tied behind her head in a high pony-tail. In fact, the twins were captivating the entire room. People couldn't stop staring.

Trace rolled his eyes before spotting Miranda's luggage. He swiftly grabbed it before dragging Miranda off, away from the "prodigies". How annoying, he noted.

* * *

The apartment was a small, two-bedroom suite which overlooked half of the city. They even had a good view of the tower from there. It was a little darker and musty from years of no use, but it could easily be cleaned by the duo.

"Welcome to your new home."

Home. It struck another nerve in him. Trace always felt like sending something to his family so they would know he was alive, but what? It was hard to decide. No doubt they had people watching his house, waiting for him to return. Phone calls, even over the internet, could be traced. Emails, also. Even if he had left moments after the email was sent, they could still chase him down.

Paranoia was one of his flaws. It loomed over him like a dark rain cloud, pouring whenever a bad idea came.

At least, it wasn't pouring now.

Miranda already called her own room, leaving Trace with the slightly smaller one. He let Pree out of its Pokeball, allowing it to admire their new home. He was tempted to take out his new friend, but decided it would be a bad idea. He met it, once, before quickly getting on the plane. It was a good Pokemon to keep around, a little temperamental, but nonetheless a sweetheart.

Then, there was the issue on the bracelet. He had a faint memory of what it was, but had no name to call it. The stone set in it slightly moved if you pushed it hard enough, and it glowed white faintly. It made his heart skip a beat.

"Trace!" He looked up, leaving his room. Miranda was making something in the kitchen, but the food was stale and old. "We're going to have to go on a major shopping spree. We need new food, and new clothes. Have our Kalos trainer cards come in yet?"

Prior to getting on the plane, Miranda ordered them new trainer cards. They didn't have pictures yet, because they were only temporary ones. He dug through the mail that was under the mat. _Bill, bill, bill, aha! _He pulled it out, opening the envelope. Their temporary cards sat there. Sure, they had their names on them and their accounts have been pushed to this region, but that was private stuff. The only way that the police could look at that is if they collaborated with police in Kalos...who are unaware of Trace.

"You need new clothes, face it." Miranda giggled. "I can get you into the nearest boutique- I've visited Kalos plenty of times; they know my name!" She winked.

_Oh, Arceus help me..._Trace thought as he followed Miranda out of their new apartment.


	7. Chapter Six

**VOLUME ONE_**

**CHAPTER SIX_**

* * *

He wasn't one for shopping, but it did benefit him. Trace finally got his first bag- a simple, brown bag that he slung over his shoulder. A couple pairs of pants and shorts, a couple t-shirts, and a jacket came with it. Miranda almost convinced him to buy the hat, too, but it was too much. They got a couple of bags of food at the supermarket to start with, and even battled a few trainers.

On their way back home, Pree suddenly chirped. Trace glanced to his shoulder, curious to why. _Oh, is it time? Are you ready? _He asked through their link, and the caterpie nodded.

It started to glow, and Miranda paused. "Trace, is it-"

"Pree is!"

After a couple of seconds of being a metapod, Pree quickly evolved again, into a butterfree. "Free!" It chirped.

"Congratulations! Pree evolved, Trace!" Miranda paused for a moment, digging through her plethora of bags. She mumbled inaudibly to herself, as Trace and his newly-evolved butterfree watched in confusion. She held up a chunky, grey stone in triumph, and it sparkled in the afternoon sun. "Skitty, come here!" She set the stone in front of her chattering Pokemon and it started to glow. The form shifted; like in all evolution, until it settled, and the light faded. Skitty had evolved, too- the ears and tail of it had turned purple and bright eyes opened to view the day.

"Delcatty!" Miranda cried in joy, looking at her new normal-type in awe. "You're so cute!"

Trace nodded, and started to pick up her bags, giving them to Miranda. "Yeah, you can talk about how cute your Delcatty is when we get back home. These bags are heavy and I'm starving."

Miranda's eyes widened at an idea. "Why don't we stop at a Cafe? There are plenty of them around the city!"

"That's not what I- oh, fine." Trace followed the girl home, and they set their stuff down in their respective rooms. A couple of minutes passed with Trace waiting by the door, and figured that Miranda was getting dressed.

She came out in a different outfit than the one he had met her in- this was a dress, with the white top tucked into a blue skirt, along with flats. The same bag she had when she met him was resting on her shoulder, as was the hat. Trace felt captivated for a couple of seconds, before shaking his head to clear his thoughts and following Miranda as they left their apartment again.

* * *

Cafe Soleil was where they went; and they munched on small sandwiches while listening to the small talk around them; it was all the talk about the Champions, and after a few moments, it was getting on his nerves.

"Why do you look irritated?" Miranda asked, taking a sip of her soda.

"Everyone is talking about the champions, and it's getting on my nerves." Trace responded. "You'd think that other champions would notice a teenager like me running amok in their region, and they'd want to know more, and maybe, possibly, help. _But no, _they never even knew I existed."

Miranda nodded. "I'm sorry about what happened in the past, Trace."

"I told you, you don't need to pity me." Trace shrugged. "But whatever. I know it's the past, but it keeps coming back. I'll never get a break from them."

The girl across from him didn't need to be told twice about who "they" were. The group who had him and tortured him, did experiments on him. How lucky was he to escape? She wanted to know as much as she could about them, just like he wanted to. Glancing back at the television, snuggled in a corner of the cafe, Miranda froze.

His face was on it. "Trace?"

"And you'd think that _a _League would have to get involved eventually?"

"Trace, I don't mean to interrupt your rant, but we really need to go." Miranda said, standing up and grabbing him by the wrist. Trace was confused, until he saw himself on the TV.

_Crap,_ he thought. Unova was already broadcasting his face to Kalos? Nobody had put the pieces together yet as the two teenagers left the cafe in a frenzy, while bumping into someone on the way out.

Two someones, technically. "The champions?" Miranda uttered in shock. Trace felt her grip around his arm tighten out of fear. Did they know about him?

The twins gave each other a glance, and as if their minds were connected like Trace and Pree's, they nodded to each other. Their Pokéballs, probably holding their strongest Pokémon, were drawn, and although it was a subtle movement, Trace picked it up. He had began to back out of the cafe when Videa spoke.

"Going somewhere, Trace Grant?"

He froze.

They knew who he was.

"You're wanted in nearly five regions, you know." Violet giggled as her sister spoke. "We just came back from a briefing in Sinnoh about you. A notorious criminal, wanted for many things. What we couldn't understand is why."

Trace didn't respond, so Videa kept talking.

"What are the odds of meeting you here?" She said, her voice slithering like a serpent. Miranda had her head turned to face the champions, but Trace wasn't up for it. "And who are you?"

"Miranda," his friend confidently replied. "Now can you please leave us alone? We just want to be here like normal people."

Normal. Trace was never normal. After gaining enough courage, he turned around to face the twins, who were determined to capture him. He and Miranda knew what would happen after that- they would get him. He couldn't go back to them. He had to find out who they were, and what they wanted.

"You're wanted for attempted murder in Unova, Trace." The word _murder _sent a chill through his veins.

"I didn't kill anyone." He replied. "I didn't hurt anyone, or at least, not majorly. I was just trying to stay alive, okay? Trying to have enough money to get by. I had to do it by my own terms because, then, my Pokémon was too shy to even battle. We did scams and we pick-pocketed, but anything on the list that was bad- except for the assault, I have my own reasons for that- is not true." _Please, just don't turn me in, _he pleaded mentally.

"We're sorry, Trace. Not only will the award over your head help with rebuilding Geosenge Town, it'll help us prove ourselves to the other Leagues in the world." Videa shrugged. "No offense, of course."

_Is it all for money? _He wondered. _Was everything for money? _The concept of money was now obsolete to him. It didn't matter anymore. Pree had overcome its shyness in battle, and it was now a Butterfree. He could probably beat them in a battle, if he had the guts. But that could cost him a lot. In a last attempt, he turned on his heel and ran. Miranda followed him, and soon, the duo was being chased by the champions of Kalos through the allies of Lumiose.


	8. Chapter Seven

**VOLUME ONE_**

**CHAPTER SEVEN_**

* * *

To be honest, Trace was sick of running. Running is what his life soon became, and he was sick of it. He was also worried- in their major escape, Miranda had managed to take a wrong turn. Now she was somewhere else in the city, and Trace didn't know where.

Another sharp corner told him he was close to an end. He cursed before turning again, lucky that they hadn't trailed him.

He needed to hide. And where else would he hide? Plain sight, he thought, allowing himself to be enshrouded by another illusion. It wouldn't hold long, he reckoned, because the running was already making him tired enough.

Trace ran inside the Prism Tower, hoping nobody noticed him. The illusion was hiding him perfectly invisible, nowhere to be seen. He took the stairs in the back, climbing two at the time. With the view it would give him, he might be able to locate Miranda. What was happening with her? He wondered, hoping she wasn't cornered in some alley by the champions, being tortured.

The Prism tower wasn't his best idea, Trace thought, as he opened the door to look out. His illusion picked the perfect time to fade, also. Videa and Violet were waiting for him, on the top of the Prism Tower. He slowly skidded to a stop, looking at the twin champions in awe.

"You can't escape us that easily-"Videa began.

"-In our own region." Violet finished. The twins each held a Pokeball, and Trace grabbed for Pree's.

The twins glanced at each other, noticing his subtle movement. They seemed to have a psychic bond; something all twins have. Trace wouldn't know- last thing he knew about his family is that he was an only child. They nodded at each other before returning their glance to Trace. "We'll let you stay in Kalos, your criminal record erased." Videa said, pushing her deep purple hair behind her shoulder. The same eyes reflected his own. "But under one condition."

"What?" He asked, unsure of what was going to happen. Pree's pokeball was clenched in his hand tight enough to nearly break it.

"You battle us, silly!" Violet cheered, giggling. "Sis, can I go first?"

Videa nodded, stepping off into the hot air balloon behind them. Violet followed, but after sending out her Pokemon. "Go, Allie!" An altaria came out; it _was _a beautiful Pokemon, with a sleek white body and puffy clouds adorning it, but Trace shuddered. Dragon-types were pretty effective on Bug-types…Right?

"Pree, I choose you!" Pree emerged, the same Butterfree as before. It glanced back nervously.

_You can do it, bud._

The battle began.

"Allie, use dragon rage!"

"Pree, look out!" The blue flames that were meant to scorch the butterfly Pokemon narrowly missed, as it flipped away, wings flapping with fury and vigor. "Use confusion!"

Waves of purple energy came out from Pree's mouth and hit the altaria. The altaria faltered for a few minutes, before shaking its head, trying to concentrate. It looked like it was drunk, to be honest- the lazy flapping of wings, the dozed off eyes.

"Allie!" Violet gasped from their hot air balloon. Shouldn't Trace have gotten one, too, in case an attack were to hit the tower he stood on? There were no railings; just his hope. "Allie, you can do this! Try another dragon rage!"

Instead of hitting Pree, it turned left and shot out, hitting a building with pseudo-hot flames. _Thank Arceus the buildings are move-proof, right? _Trace thought snidely to Pree, who chirped in agreement.

Allie tried again, shooting the mystic flames from her beak, like a different sort of dragon, and hit Pree in the chest. It cried out as it was flung to the ground, obviously hurt. "Pree!" Pree, however, flapped its wings again and flew up into the air, a terrifying glare set upon the cloud Pokemon.

_Do you think it's time? _Trace thought, establishing the mental link with his Butterfree once again.

It responded in chirps, which Trace couldn't understand in his own language, but knew- That was a yes. He nodded, his hand resting on the bracelet he stole originally from the people who took him, who experimented on him. They were issued to all guards- and, after all, he did sneak out in a guard's outfit. Trace finally remembered what the stone was for, and how to use it.

It resembled a mega ring in many ways, besides the dull coloration of the stone set in it, and they could have thought he was going to evolve his Butterfree even further. But it had never been heard of, before!

It glowed a bright light, and Trace directed his thoughts to Pree, who suddenly, was glowing the same white as he was.

Nobody understood what was happening; the twins in the balloon were just as petrified as the bystanders below. Who was this boy, and what kind of power did he hold?

"Pree, Solar Beam!"

It didn't need any time to charge. It shot out a bright light to the altaria, who was thrown onto the tower, shaking it up a bit, but collapsing. It had fainted; Trace had won.

The twins were in awe of the glowing boy and his Pokemon. Was this the criminal he was to be? What kind of power did he hold? Where did he get it? Violet returned Allie to its Pokeball, in a much shock as her sister. "What the hell was that?" She uttered.

Miranda finally arrived on the tower, her near-black hair whipping from the cool wind on the top. "Trace, did you do that?"

"You're late." Was his reply.

"No, I'm not." She crossed her arms slightly, pouting. "I got here just when the plot needed me."

A swift gust of wind nearly blew her off, and Trace wrapped his hand around her arm. "You need to get out of here, Miranda. It's going to get dangerous."

Instead of arguing against him, the girl nodded before returning to the door, to where it was safe inside. She looked back for a second. "Good luck."

Trace smiled at her, a genuine smile that made both of their hearts flutter. "Call me Trevor, Miranda. That's my real name." Smiling and nodding, she ducked into safety, and the wanted criminal turned around again to face Videa, who held her arms crossed.

"Your Butterfree's very weak, Trace." She said, stating the blatant facts, her Charizard, flapping next to her. "Are you going to surrender already?"

"Pree's not my _only _Pokemon." Trace said, remembering the Pokeball he stole in his escape from the Police HQ in Virbank City. It buzzed with excitement in his hand, and he had already met the beast inside a few times, silently, when nobody was looking. "Sparky, come on out!"

Out came a legendary bird, with sharp, yellow feathers and an orange beak. It cawed loudly, causing lightning to flash in the otherwise clear night.

"You're just full of surprises, Grant." Videa grinned, before looking to her sister. "Violet, please get out of here, the battle is going to really heat up."

"But _sis-_" the younger of the two quipped.

"I'm serious. Go."

Violet nodded, grabbing one of their custom hang-gliders, made special for them by their father. They were much like a Sky Trainer's suit, but more customized. She jumped out of the balloon, floating safely to the area below them.

Trace glanced to the legendary Pokemon next to him, in a little bit of awe himself. Trace managed to train a Zapdos, which are known for their irascible outbursts of storms. And he didn't even have a link to it- the links only existed with Pree, which he had longer.

Of course, he didn't understand his own powers. He could create illusions, and he had mental links with Pokemon, as long as he knew them very well. A bond was required. What had _those_ people done to him?

"Charizard, use flamethrower!"

"Sparky, look out!" The flames just burned the tips of its tail, but other than that, Sparkly was fine. Trace burrowed his brow in concentration. "Thunder wave!"

A wave of electricity was flung from the legendary bird, and hit Charizard right in the chest. Sparks flew off the fire type's body, insinuating it was now paralyzed. Charizard managed to retaliate with a swift wing attack, sending the Zapdos flying into Prism Tower. Trace nearly fell off in the process, holding onto the nonexistent railing as the force sent him flying.

He hung off the side for a few moments, and felt a massive beak pull himself up. Sparky set him down gently, and pat his head with its beak. It cawed in its own language before taking to the sky again. "Charizard, another flamethrower! Let it burn!"

Flames danced around Sparky's body, but it endured the hit for its friend, Trace.

"Sparky, counter with Ancient Power!" Trace called out as loud as he could. Stones flew up from the ground, pointed directly at Videa's Pokemon.

"Charizard, look out!" It was too late. The rocks sent the Flame Pokemon hurtling to the ground, and Videa quickly recalled it before it crashed. The champion looked at Trace in awe. How had he managed to defeat her and her sister so easily? She was taken down by a criminal? Why, Violet and she took down Team Flare! Stopped that ultimate weapon from being used in Geosenge Town. Helped the legendary pokemon Xerneas and Yvetal free themselves from the weapon.

And a Butterfree and Zapdos took both of them down?

Although she was fuming with anger, Videa nodded, allowing her balloon to drift to Prism tower so she could meet Trace, who was petting his Zapdos gently. "You did good, you know. And a promise is a promise. From here on out, you are under the protection of the Pokemon League of Kalos." She paused. "And how in the world did you get this?"

Sparky huffed, turning away from her. Trace laughed. "It was at the police HQ in Virbank, and was looking very miserable. It wanted to be free, and since the person who had trained it left it, it had nowhere else to go. It decided to join me for a while, right, Sparky?" Sparky nodded, though its back still was turned from Videa.

Trace couldn't believe it. He managed to take down both champions of Kalos. And now he was safe. _Safe, _he thought, excited. _I'm finally safe, aren't I? _But he denied it all. He would never be safe. Videa bid him farewell for the evening, and jumped back into her balloon. Trace returned Sparky before leaving the way he came.


	9. Epilogue

**VOLUME ONE_**

**EPILOGUE_**

* * *

Videa and Violet followed the close instructions Trace gave them, over the phone, earlier that morning. Violet couldn't sit still the flight there, which annoyed her Salamance to no end. Eventually, both champions landed back in Lumiose, and did as they promised.

The apartment that was occupied by Miranda and Trace wasn't that fancy. _Of course it's not, _Videa thought. _They were criminals for a while in Kalos. _

Miranda opened the door, happy to see both of them again. "Hey, guys! Come on in!" There was an old couch and a TV, but there was no Trace, or Butterfree, in sight. A Delcatty, however, bounded to the front door to meet the new people. Violet was instantly drawn to the cute Pokemon.

"Where's Trace?" Videa asked.

"Tre-err, Trace? He's up on the roof, training, probably. The stairs at the end of the hall will take you up. He'll be late for brunch." Delicious smells wafted in from the kicthen where Miranda returned to, and Videa recognized one of the smells as bacon. Violet stayed behind to play with the Delcatty, and also brought out the Pokemon she was training, Drifloon, to play.

The stairs creaked as Videa bounded up, and the door creaked open, telling her the building itself was very old. She found herself staring at Trace and his two Pokemon, and his eyes closed in meditation.

Videa opened her mouth to speak, but Trace beat her to it. "I know, brunch is ready. She's been texting me nonstop for the past ten minutes." He turned, his deep brown eyes staring at her. "There's a reason I did all that stuff, you know."

"A reason?" Videa retaliated, holding back a snicker. "I mean, you told me when we first met it was to get by in life, but other than that, I saw no other logical reason-"

"Not the theft." He interrupted, returning Sparky to its Pokeball. Pree flew down and landed on his shoulder, chirping in his ear. "The running. For the past two years I've been running from this group of people. I don't know who or what they want, all I know is that I was normal once. Then one day, I could suddenly do stuff that was..."

"Unnatural?"

Trace nodded. "I know they're going to be coming back for me, soon."

"You're under the protection of the Pokemon League of Kalos. All of the gym leaders, Elite Four, and Violet and I have your back when you need it." Videa explained.

"That's not the point. They're huge in numbers. They can probably conquer the world if we let them." Trace sighed, leading Videa back down to the apartment. "There were others like me. I need to find them and help them."

"Okay." Videa replied. "If you ever need it, just...Call me. I can get everyone in the League there in an instant."

"Thanks, Videa." Trace smiled before opening the door to their apartment, where warm faces greeted them with excitement. Brunch was already on the table, and after giving their Pokemon some food (Miranda had a rule that no Pokemon over five feet was allowed inside) they all dug in.

* * *

"Have you found him yet? Experiment 002?"

"No, sir. But I do know that he moved to the Kalos region."

"Well find him and get him!" The scientist barked. "If we wait any longer, his body will mature past the point, and the project will have to start all over again."

"There's a problem with that, sir." The man quivered under the glare of the scientist. Two years of chasing the experiment and failing was not going to be well on his next resume. "He's under the protection of the League there."

"We have the power to take over the world, if you can't remember, Robert." The scientist barked yet again. "If we do not have Experiment 002 back in a couple of months, I will personally take care of you myself. Now go!" The man, now identified as Robert, nodded, sprinting from the room. The scientist turned back in his desk chair, looking at the files of the teens who were frozen in time and the profile of Experiment 002.

"Trevor Martin...We will get you back, and soon."

* * *

**VOLUME ONE END_**

**PROCEED?**


End file.
